Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Tip Tuesday: Die Cuts



Today the team would like to present some fun tips for use your dies and die cutting machine, whatever brand they may be. Die cutting shapes is a great way to make your own embellishments which can perfectly match any project you might be making! Hope you will enjoy today's tips.

Tip #1
To make a folded card from a die shape, fold your cardstock and place the folded edge about 1/4" in from the edge of the cutting blade of the die. Tape your cardstock down if necessary to avoid movement.

Tip #2
Save your patterned paper remnants for die cutting small shapes. Cottage Cutz dies for example, use very very small pieces of paper.

Tip #3
Using Tim Holtz rosette dies, you can make cool award ribbons! Cut the die from all sorts of fun colors of printed papers to match any theme!

Tip #4
Make your own faux-chipboard shapes by die cutting several layers of card and gluing them together.

Tip #5
Use your dies to cut through "fun foam" to create your own foam stamps. The craft foam will hold texture well if you use an embossing folder on it, so your die cut stamps can have a variety of textures.

Tip #6
Cut a shape from card and then from old book text, tear the book page parts and glue to the card shape for a shabby chic look.

Tip #7
Die cut felt shapes and use iron on adhesive to decorate cushions, little girls' clothing, etc. These shapes can also be fun on cards or scrapbook pages.

Tip #8
If you find die-cut shapes a little too "clean-cut" for a shappy chic look, run around the edges with a scissor blade or distressing tool.

Tip #9
Create serendipity paper by gluing torn scraps of patterned paper onto a base paper, and randomly stamping over it. Then die cut shapes from the paper for a unique look.

Tip #10
Try running a die cut shape through a paper crimper for a different effect.

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